Tank Johnson

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT TANK JOHNSON - PAGE 2

In a letter to Tank Johnson (right), NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated he was encouraged by Johnson's commitment to avoid the kind of bad choices that plagued him during his first three seasons with the Bears. Johnson's camp believes that played a big part in Goodell tailoring his discipline so an eight-game suspension could be reduced to six by meeting certain conditions. They are: Johnson must have no further adverse involvement with police. He must comply with all league requirements, including counseling.

Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson came to Halas Hall early Monday afternoon and took some clothes out of the facility with him, but he was not cleaning out his locker for the last time. The Bears are working with the NFL on what options they have with Johnson, but cutting the third-year lineman is not one they are strongly considering. Although no decision has been finalized, Johnson is expected to be deactivated for at least the remainder of the regular season, sources told the Tribune.

Tank Johnson says he's just a normal guy. You know, the way most people are normal with six guns, more than 500 rounds of ammo and a bunch of pit bulls around two kids age 3 and younger, not to mention a now-dead felon best friend. Johnson, the man for whom the Bears have placed their moral compass in a blind trust, knows that it's all the other people who are demons or evil or whatever. "They come in so many shapes and sizes," Johnson said. "Just a lot of people out there who are just there to get you and there to do bad stuff to you and say bad things about you. All kinds of people.

For the second straight week, playing without Tank Johnson, the Bears' depth at defensive tackle surfaced. Last week against the Buccaneers, Ian Scott played his best game of the year in Johnson's absence. Sunday against the Lions it was Alfonso Boone who made the biggest impact. Boone had three tackles and a quarterback hurry, and Scott turned in another solid effort with four tackles and a batted pass. Antonio Garay took advantage of his extended time as well, easing the need to rush Johnson back into action.

Former Northern Illinois basketball star Jim Bradley will be inducted posthumously into the Indiana Boys Basketball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Bradley, who spearheaded the East Chicago Roosevelt team to a 28-0 record and the Indiana state championship in 1970, will be enshrined in ceremonies in Indianapolis. The entire 1969-70 East Chicago Roosevelt team also will be inducted. Bradley, who later played on the 1974-75 ABA champion Kentucky Colonels, was killed in Portland, Ore., on Feb. 20, 1982.

A Cook County judge on Monday granted bail to a man charged with last year's killing of the bodyguard of Chicago Bears lineman Tank Johnson. Michael Selvie, 34, of the 800 block of West 50th Place, appeared before Cook County Criminal Court Judge Joseph Claps. Selvie had been held without bail since he was arrested in December. Claps set bail at $750,000 and imposed a curfew from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. He is also barred from being anywhere where liquor is served, including restaurants, Assistant Cook County State's Atty.

LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley held that position with the Chicago Bears from 2007-08. General manager Phil Emery can see how Haley applied his expertise to defensive tackle Ego Ferguson, whom the Bears drafted in 51st overall Friday. "He's been well schooled," Emery said. "He's really good with his hands, and his hand-placement, his footwork is part of what we liked about him--that he had been well coached. He plays with really good leverage. " In a recent phone conversation, Haley discussed Ferguson's assets and compared him to a former productive Bears defensive tackle.

All the Seahawks needed was 10 yards in the final seconds of regulation for a chance to win Sunday's playoff game. On third-and-10 from the Bears' 45-yard line, what they needed to do was block Tank Johnson. And they couldn't. Johnson fought through the block of left guard Chris Spencer, shook free of the clutter of a pocket he was breaking down and sacked quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for a 9-yard loss, effectively ending Seattle's hope for a last-second victory. In Johnson's mind he had help from his own 12th man. Johnson's best friend, Willie Posey, was shot and killed while the two were at a Chicago nightspot last month.

"We've done our research on him." --Bears coach Lovie Smith on April 24, 2004, after drafting defensive tackle Tank Johnson from the University of Washington. No doubt the Bears knew what they were getting in Tank Johnson. They investigated the rumors of insubordination and moodiness at Washington. They talked at length to the pro scouts who helped draw the personality sketch in Pro Football Weekly's draft preview that depicted Johnson as being "not respectful to staff or teammates."

Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson came to Halas Hall early Monday afternoon and took some clothes out of the facility with him, but he was not cleaning out his locker for the last time. The Bears are working with the NFL on what options they have with Johnson, but cutting the third-year lineman is not one they are strongly considering. Although no decision has been finalized, Johnson is expected to be deactivated for at least the remainder of the regular season, sources told the Tribune.